Centrifugal blower having improved structure for mounting of rotor assembly

Abstract

A centrifugal blower assembly including a blower wheel rotatably journaled within a housing on easily fabricated low-cost rotor support braces which are designed to provide rigid versatile structures which may be combined with an especially configured blower housing to improve serviceability of the assembly.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A centrifugal blower assembly comprising: (a) a blower housing having a side wall in which an air inlet opening is formed;   (b) a rotor support brace attached to the side wall of said blower housing so as to span the air inlet opening formed therein;   (c) a stub shaft mounted on said rotor support brace and extending therefrom coaxially through the air inlet opening formed in the side wall of said blower housing and into the interior thereof;   (d) a rotor assembly positioned within said blower housing so as to be coaxial with the air inlet opening formed in the side wall thereof, said rotor having one of its opposite ends supported on said stub shaft and journaled for rotation about said stub shaft; and   (e) said rotor support brace comprising, a first strap member configured to provide a flat portion intermediate a pair of oppositely angularly diverging strut portions,   a second strap member configured to provide a flat portion intermediate a pair of oppositely angularly diverging strut portions,   said first and said second strap members having their flat portions in abutting engagement with each other and having said stub shaft affixed thereto and extending laterally therefrom, and   each of the strut portions of said first and said second strap members twisted adjacent its extending end to form a mounting pad thereon.     
     
     
       2. A centrifugal blower assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stub shaft comprises: (a) said stub shaft having a longitudinally extending bore formed therein which is closed at one end and open at its opposite end, said stub shaft having at least one radial aperture formed therein which communicates between the bore and the peripheral surface thereof;   (b) means mounted in the open end of the bore of said stub shaft for closing that open end; and   (c) means within the bore of said stub shaft for retaining a lubricant and dispensing that lubricant through the radial aperture of said stub shaft.   
     
     
       3. A centrifugal blower assembly as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising, an access panel means forming a part of the side wall of said blower housing, said access panel means being demountable to allow access to the interior of said blower housing for servicing purposes, said access panel means circumscribing the air inlet opening formed in the side wall of said blower housing.   
     
     
       4. A centrifugal blower assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotor comprises: (a) at least one blower wheel having an axially disposed hub assembly; and   (b) bearing means mounted in at least one end of said hub assembly of said blower wheel for rotatable journaling said rotor on said stub shaft.   
     
     
       5. A centrifugal blower assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the side wall of said blower housing comprises: (a) a fixed panel portion having an access opening formed therein to provide servicing access to the interior of said blower housing; and   (b) an access panel portion demountably positioned within the access opening formed in said fixed panel portion, said access panel portion circumscribing the air inlet opening formed in the side wall of said blower housing.   
     
     
       6. A centrifugal blower assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said access panel portion is affixed to said rotor support brace. 
     
     
       7. A centrifugal blower assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the access opening formed in the fixed panel portion of the side wall of said blower housing is larger than the diameter of said rotor to allow said rotor to pass through that access opening. 
     
     
       8. A centrifugal blower assembly as claimed in claim 5 and further comprising: (a) the access opening formed in said fixed panel and said access panel being of substantially circular configuration;   (b) an annular flange formed on said fixed panel on the edge thereof which circumscribes the access opening formed therein; and   (c) an annular gasket in engagement with the periphery of said access panel and in engagement with said annular flange for forming an airtight rattle free seal between said access panel and said fixed panel.